DO’S & DON’TS OF BLOGGING

I love sharing blogging tips with you guys. After realizing that many of my readers are bloggers themselves, it made sense to continue this category on the blog. I have a running list of blog post ideas that I keep in my phone ‘Notes’ as things come up, and today’s topic has been building in my notes for quite some time. Before I dive into this one, I just want to say that despite my opinions, which truly, all my advice is just my opinion, I want anyone reading this to know that there is no judgement here (if you do any of the things listed as a Don’t).

Do be original. If you’re a blogger, chances are you a creative person. Get creative with your content and strategy, but do it in a way that is authentic to you. Everything about your brand should feel right to you. Your audience will sense when something is “off brand.”

Don’t copy someone else’s formula. It’s easy to follow other bloggers, see their success, and then try to emulate it. Obviously the blogging world is very saturated, so there will certainly be cross over in style / branding, however, deliberately copying someone is not the way to go. Some call it flattery, I think it’s cheap.

Do give back to your community. I love hosting giveaways to give back to my readers for their loyalty and support. I am very privileged to receive lots of products to try but honestly, there is ZERO chance my house is big enough to keep it all. Giving back allows me to share my goodies with my community while also keeping my office somewhat clean.

Don’t do loop giveaways. I cannot emphasize enough how much these annoy me. In fact, one drunken night I unfollowed anyone who did one because I was tired of seeing it in my feed (sorry if you’re one of the people I unfollowed…it’s nothing personal!). I think giveaway are a great way to promote growth on your channels, but limit it to ONE person or brand, not 10+ accounts.

Do be candid. I’m an open book on all of my social media channels–I love to overshare my life. I find that the more I share the more I learn, since so many of you have a wealth of insight. I really enjoy connecting with my followers, and I think being open and honest has broadened my audience.

Don’t cry for attention. Nothing irks me more than click bait! Sure, it’s clever, but I just find it to be such a letdown. I’m all for sharing personal stories (good or bad), adversities, journeys, but do it for the right reasons.

Do sponsored posts. There’s nothing wrong with monetizing your blog [business]. We all have to do it to continue being a blogger, nothing new there. I say make sure the brand partnerships is organic (products you already use or tried and loved), the posts are on brand for you, and that your sponsored content is spaced out.

Don’t overdo the promo codes. I always struggle with this one because on one hand I want to provide my readers with a discount to try the products I promote, but on the other hand it’s so damn tacky! Every now and then I think it’s okay to throw one in, but I am very picky about how / when I share them.

Do respond to DM’s. Connecting with my followers is one of the biggest rewards in blogging. I love reading your advice, suggestions, and feedback. At the end of the day I’m only a professional blogger because you guys have chosen to follow and support me. Why wouldn’t I spend a few hours a day responding? It’s the least I can do.

Don’t ignore your followers. I fully understand the anxiety of seeing an inbox FULL of DMs, but I don’t believe in closing comments or messages altogether. If it’s just unrealistic to reply to DM’s, make sure to provide your followers with the information they are requesting (outfit details, product questions, updates, etc.) on IG Stories.

Now that you’ve read my list, are we still friends? I would love to know your thoughts on this list below in the comments. Also, let me know if you guys like the Do’s & Don’ts and I can do more posts like this.